They're often the first place to show signs of aging, but not on youthanks to these clever strategies.

They're often the first place to show signs of aging, but not on you—thanks to these clever strategies.

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Eyes may be the windows to the soul, but our hands reveal a lot too. (Imagine if you washed your face 10 times a day and never put on lotion or sunscreen: You'd look like Clint Eastwood!) Protect and perfect your hands with this TLC.

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Get in the habit of using hand cream

Get in the habit of using hand cream

It not only keeps skin supple: The newest formulas help reduce sun spots, crepiness—even veiny hands.

Eyes may be the windows to the soul, but our hands reveal a lot too. (Imagine if you washed your face 10 times a day and never put on lotion or sunscreen: You'd look like Clint Eastwood!) Protect and perfect your hands with this TLC.

Getty Images/Photoalto

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Get in the habit of using hand cream

It not only keeps skin supple: The newest formulas help reduce sun spots, crepiness—even veiny hands.

Tip: Try an almond nail shape. "It's the most youthful look," says manicurist Deborah Lippmann. "File each side of the nail on an angle toward the tip, then gently round off the tip. And file in a single direction—sawing back and forth can cause nails to peel."

The do's and don'ts for younger-looking hands

DO:

1. Wear rubber gloves when you do chores. Because dish detergents, household cleaners, and hot water are all super-tough on your skin.

2. Apply a deep treatment every so often. If your hands feel extra-dry, slather them with Vaseline or Aquaphor, then slip on cotton gloves or socks. "Leave them on for 10 minutes, or overnight, to seal in moisture," says Heidi Waldorf, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

3. Try this natural skin smoother from Lippmann: Stir a few scoops of finely granulated sugar in with a couple ounces of olive oil, then massage the mix on hands for several minutes.

3. Wear wool gloves if you have sensitive skin. "Wool can irritate and inflame many people's skin," says Tanzi, so go with cotton- or cashmere-lined leather gloves to avoid an itchy situation.

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Make sun protection a priority

Here's an inconvenient truth: Our hands are every bit as prone to sun damage as our faces. "UV rays trigger brown spots and break down collagen, which leads to wrinkles and loose, crepey skin—not to mention they up your risk for skin cancer," says Tanzi. So before you head out the door in the morning, smooth on a hand cream with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. We like Supergoop! SPF 40 Forever Young Hand Cream, $11 for 1 oz, or Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face & Body Stick Sunscreen SPF 70, $9.99, swiped on the backs of your hands.

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Get those cuticles in shape!

If you dedicate just two minutes a week to them, they'll stay healthy. First, work a cuticle remover into the skin. "Cuticle oil or hand cream won't cut it—you need something that dissolves dead skin," says Lippmann. (Try Revlon Cuticle Softener, $7.99.) Then, gently push back your cuticles with an orangewood stick. Carefully trim off ragged bits with a cuticle nipper, but never cut into your cuticles—it invites in bacteria. To finish, rub on a cuticle oil like Sally Hansen Cuticle Rehab, $7.49.

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Go bare more often

Give your nails one weekend off a month from polish—it'll make them stronger and healthier, say derms. And if your nails are peeling or break easily, use that time to apply a strengthening treatment once a day. Try Nails Inc. NailKale Superfood Base Coat, $15. Yes, the all-star veggie has made its way into nail care, and for good reason: Kale is rich in vitamins C and E, both of which are proven to stimulate keratin production, the main protein in nails.

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Nix stains and ridges for good

Bumpy, yellowy nails can add years to the look of your hands. Luckily, these fixes take only minutes. To remove yellow stains caused by polish, "squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a bowl of warm water, then soak nails for five to 10 minutes," says Lippmann. To smooth away ridges, try the new electric nail buffer created by celebrity manicurst Lisa Jachno. Labnails The Buffy 3-in-1 Electric Mani Pen Kit, $39.96, includes two interchangeable heads: Use the gritty one first to iron out grooves and fade stains, then switch to the felt-tip head to buff and shine nails.